Time, Space, and the Small Things in Between
by Gregg Landsman
Summary: Post Star Ocean 3.  Some small events change things after the quest is completed, and mind you this contains massive spoilers if you haven't played the game.  And oh yes.  Some characters make unexpected guest appearances.


Star Ocean: Til the End of Time and all associated characters are the property of Squarenix. Others may be, as well. And yes, the plot twist I mention in the story really did happen in the game, so give credit (or blame) to them.

Takes place after the end of the game. And now, we get to see a small bit of life in the Fourth Dimension...

* * *

**Time, Space, and the Small Things Between**

According to one of the many belief systems on the third planet of the Sol System, right now Blair Lansfield could claim that she is God. Well, maybe not God. More like the Metatron, the official representative of God.

God would be the person who's desk she's standing in front of.

All in all, the past week has been eventful to say the _least._ Sphere Company's prize in their Fourth Dimensional Holdings, the Eternal Sphere, has undergone a drastic change due to the lead programmer's apparent temporary nervous breakdown. Actual inhabitants of the Eternal Sphere managed to cross over into a dimension which by all rights they should not be able to exist in, ie, this one, and managed to knock some sense into Luther.

Luther attempted to delete the Sphere, but Blair managed to re-initialize it, albeit with some help from the inhabitants. And now, after a week straight of maintenance, technical support, and customer service from people who just don't want to listen, she has to make a report to the woman sitting at the half-circle desk littered with holographic screens and data reports.

"Blair," the woman groans, "What is the status?"

"Everything's finally running smoothly," Blair sighs, "Or as smooth at it will get. All the Galaxies are back up and running, time has been reset to about three seconds before Luther attempted mass-deletion with exceptions, and the portals into the Sphere are temporarily locked."

"I imagine the customers are thrilled about that one."

"We do have PR people to deal with that, Mother," Blair sighs, pushing her glasses up her nose.

Her mother, CEO of Sphere and the one person with higher authority than Blair's younger brother, sighs. Her age, roughly middle age due to how she wants to perceive herself because of her nature and relation to this world, does not mar her looks as much as it would for a normal person. Blue hair falling in a braid down her back has flecks of gray in it, her green eyes naturally sharp and wrinkles running along her mouth.

Tenting her hands, the matriarch of the Lansford family gives herself a moment to gather her thoughts, and with a gesture closes all the holographs hovering over her desk, darkening the room until the central light in the ceiling comes on.

"How is Luther doing?"

"He's not physically hurt," she says, "It's...well, it's emotional. He's really taking this all badly. His own _creations_ rebelled against him, Mother. It's like the report I had to file tracked me down and beat me with a club. I don't think he'll ever be the same again, and seriously think he shouldn't have his old post back."

"I know...what he did was phenomenal. But he let himself become deluded by it. I need to talk this over with your father, but I am getting an idea for what we can do with your brother."

Blair nods, folding her hands in front of her.

"I understand. Where exactly is Father, by the way?"

"Currently in his office. I gave him the job of fixing up the damage Luther's Enforcers did to the Sol System. It was all I could do to stop him from yelling at your brother."

* * *

"Alright. List up, switch status on them from Dead to NPC. Reset structural time to 15 minutes before Enforcer Attack, switch over Enforcer weaknesses from Invincible to Vulnerable, cue the Vendeeni ships saving Earth. Load up program."

The young woman with platinum-silver hair, dressed in a French Maid's outfit and with a faint blue glow around her gently lays down a cup of steaming tan liquid on the desk next to his raised, sneaker clad feet. He nods, thanks her, and takes the cup as she disappears.

"Celine would kill me if she saw that," he says to himself with a chuckle, "I still do it, and know she'd kill me. At least the clothes match the accent."

He taps on the free-floating holographic keyboard, the full-wall holograph disappearing to show the structural status of Earth and now showing a list of names. The names are listed in two columns-the names of inhabitants of the Eternal Sphere, and the names of the Fourth Dimensional customers who use those particular inhabitants as avatars when they log in to play.

"Alright, list the avatars killed on Earth. Set those killed by the Enforcers to living status."

Roughly 12,000 characters on Earth served as avatars. The rank and status those particular characters had was varied due to the nature of the Sphere. Since Earth was a developed planet, there was a lack of Earth-based characters who went off on adventures, instead using the planet's level of technology to better simulate life in their home dimension. Some lived second lives with simulated families, some had attained positions of political power, some served as starship captains and fought in great interstellar wars...

"Hold up. Stop the list."

He gestures at the list, bringing up a name. The name expands out, becoming a holographic window showing the man, who is middle aged, with close-cropped brown hair with some gray at the temples, thin, wears glasses, and moderately handsome.

Roughly a mirror image of himself.

"Son of a bitch," he says, "He killed my avatar. Computer, set Robert Leingod from dead to living status."

"_Robert Leingod was not on Earth during his death. Do you wish to continue?_"

The voice is perky but methodical, based on another of his female companions. He thought it was a perfect choice, considering she was practically a supercomputer when she was alive.

"Damned straight I do. Confirm voice authorization. Bring me up pertaining data on Professor Leingod's death and I'll see how we get around it."

The computer complies, information scrolling down the screen as a beep confirms revival...and his jaw drops as he sees the complications.

"Oh..._Crap._ Get me the CEO's office."

"_Connected._"

"Rena? I think we may have a slight _problem._"


End file.
